(Photo credit: Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Igor Milicic Jr. scored a season-high 23 points and recorded nine rebounds, helping lead No. 11 Tennessee to a 103-68 win over visiting Austin Peay on Sunday in Knoxville, Tenn.
Zakai Zeigler added 19 points and eight assists for Tennessee (4-0), becoming the fifth player in program history to record 500 career assists. Jordan Gainey added 15 points off the bench, while Cade Phillips chipped in 13 points and nine boards. Felix Okpara had 12 points, followed by Jahmai Mashack’s 10.
Austin Peay (3-1) was led by Isaac Haney’s 22 points. LJ Thomas added 20 for the Governors, who shot just 35.5 percent from the field, while Tennessee made 37 of its 58 (63.8 percent) shots.
No. 12 Baylor 104, Tarleton State 41
Jalen Celestine had 20 points and prized freshman VJ Edgecombe scored 17 as the host Bears rode a dominant first half to a third straight victory, throttling the Texans in Waco, Texas.
Jeremy Roach hit four 3-pointers and had 14 points for the Bears (3-1), who went 9-of-13 from beyond the arc in the first half and scored 29 points off 17 Tarleton turnovers to lead 56-13 at the break. Robert Wright III had 12 points and nine assists in the win.
Tarleton (1-4), coached by former Texas AM and Kentucky boss Billy Gillispie, played without six players due to injury. The Texans attempted as many field goals as they committed turnovers before halftime and entered the break shooting 29.4 percent from the floor. Joseph Martinez finished with 11 points for Tarleton, which conceded 46 points off of its 28 giveaways.
No. 22 St. John’s 85, New Mexico 71
RJ Luis Jr. totaled 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Red Storm withstood several comeback attempts and pulled away for a victory over the visiting Lobos at Madison Square Garden in New York.
After winning their first three games over Fordham, Quinnipiac and Wagner by a combined 76 points, the Red Storm began a challenging week that will see them face No. 12 Baylor in the Bahamas on Thursday. St. John’s (4-0) led New Mexico (3-1) for the final 33-plus minutes and placed five players in double figures to give Rick Pitino his third win in four career games coaching against his son Richard Pitino, the Lobos’ coach. Luis posted his second double-double this season and made 8 of 18 shots. Deivon Smith added 12 of his 15 points in the first half when the Red Storm led by as many as 16.
Nelly Joseph, who played for the elder Pitino at Iona, and Mustapha Amzil led the Lobos with 16 points apiece. CJ Noland added 15 and Donovan Dent was held to 12 as New Mexico shot 43.8 percent, missed 11 of 18 free throws and was unable to get its second win over a ranked team after beating then-No. 22 UCLA on Nov. 8.
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